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14
These measures were taken after the mere exclus ion of affecte
children and contacts had failed. All the children in a house where
Measles existed were not exclude!, but the following regulations
were adopted by the Education Committee. Children suffering
from Measles must be excluded for at least one month.
Children coming from houses where Measles exist, but who are
not themselves suffering from the disease, should be dealt with as
follows:—A child attending other than an infant school who has
had Measles need not be excluded from attendance at school.
A child attending other than an infant school who has not had
Measles, must be excluded from attendance at school until the
Monday following the expiration of fourteen days from the commencement
of the last case.
A child attending an infant school, whether or not it has had
Measles, must be excluded from attendance at school until the
Monday following the expiration of fourteen days from the com
mencement of the last case.
The non-success of the policy of exclusion of individual
scholars is easily explainable. Measles is infectious during the
period in which the patient has running from the eyes and nose and
before the rash appears. Every endeavour is made by the teacher
during a Measles epidemic to exclude all childien who have a cold in
the head, but it is impossible by this means to prevent every child
who is suffering from the initial symptoms of Measles from attendance
at school.
A considerable difference of opinion exists as to the time for
which a child suffering from Measles should be excluded from
school. Inquiries were made of different Sanitary Authorities, and
in one district the period of exclusion was two weeks, in 5 the period
was 3 weeks, and in 7 it was at least a month. It is more than
probable that Measles does not remain infectious for more than a
couple of weeks, but children who have suffered from the disease
are rendered very liable to lung complications, and any premature
exposure would render the children liable to broncho-pneumonia.
We do not think it necessary to keep children away for a period
of 4 weeks, if there is a doctor in attendance, and he certifies that it